Steele's push to target the men who buy sex is at the forefront of a growing trend in American law enforcement based on the idea that the best way to reduce prostitution is to crack down on demand.

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice seems to agree with Steele's focus on pursuing johns.

"Sex workers are often vulnerable victims of traffickers and pimps, yet they too often remain the prime targets in prostitution investigations while the johns who fuel the exploitation are treated as mere witnesses," Rice said in a statement. "My office and the police department are turning the tables on the illogical and immoral nature of that equation."